Bottle-loading apparatus

ABSTRACT

A bottle-loading apparatus, for loading bottles, supplied from a bottle conveyor, into an apertured carrier of a bottle-processing apparatus, comprises guide means receiving and guiding a row of bottles, supplied from the bottle conveyor, into the carrier. Transfer means that are cooperable with the guided bottles, and include at least a pair of endless belts, such as chain belts, extending along the guide means. Push rods extend transversely of the guide means and are coupled to the belts for driving along the guide means to push bottles, supported on the guide means, toward the carrier. When the apertures of the carrier are arranged in laterally staggered rows, the guide means are cyclically reciprocated laterally to align with the apertures in the successive rows. Preferably a bridge member is provided between the carrier and the discharge ends of the guide means to support the lower surfaces of the bottle during transfer to the carrier. The carrier may be stopped periodically and cyclically when the transfer means engages the bottles on the guide means.

United States Patent Inventors Yoshikazu Fuwa;

Yoslilo Sata, both of Nagoya; Tadaaki Ono, Inazawa; Shiro Kato, NagoyaDec. 10, 1968, Japan, No. 43/90440 BOTTLE-LOADING APPARATUS 7 Claims, 13Drawing Figs.

0.8. CI 198/22 Int. Cl 8653 47/57 Field of Search 198/22, 22 B, 23

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 75,946 ll/l949 Norway 198/22 PrimaryExaminer- Edward A. Sroka AtrarneyMcGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: Abottle-loading apparatus, for loading bottles, supplied from a bottleconveyor. into an apertured carrier of a bottle-processing apparatus,comprises guide means receiving and guiding a row of bottles, suppliedfrom the bottle conveyor, into the carrier. Transfer means that arecooperable with the guided bottles, and include at least a pair ofendless belts. such as chain belts, extending along the guide means.Push rods extend transversely of the guide means and are coupled to thebelts for driving along the guide means to push bottles, supported onthe guide means, toward the carrier. When the apertures of the carrierare arranged in laterally staggered rows, the guide means are cyclicallyreciprocated laterally to align with the apertures in the successiverows. Preferably a bridge member is provided between the carrier and thedischarge ends of the guide means to support the lower surfaces of thebottle during transfer to the carrier. The carrier may be stoppedperiodically and cyclically when the transfer means engages the bottleson the guide means.

PATENTED DEE 71971 SHEET 2 HF BY fag mminnm mm 3,625,836

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INVENTORQFS BOTTLE-LOADING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to bottle-loading apparatus and, more particularly toan improved bottle-loading apparatus for loading bottles, supplied froma bottle conveyor, into a carrier of a bottle-processing apparatus andwithout damage to the bottles, while loading the bottles speedily andefficiently.

In accordance with the invention, a primary feature is the provision, ina bottle-loading apparatus for loading bottles, supplied from a bottleconveyor, into the bottle carrier of a bottle-processing apparatus, ofguide means for receiving and guiding a row of bottles, supplied fromthe conveyor, into the carrier. Transfer means are associated with theguide means, and include at least one pair of endless belts extendingalong the guide means. Push rods extend transversely of the guide meansand are coupled to the belt for driving the push rods along the guidemeans to push bottles, supported on the guide means, toward the carrier.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the endless belts comprisethree endless chain belts provided on the op posite sides and at thecenter of the array of guide members. These endless chain belts aresupported in the form of a parallelogram to extend around drivingsprockets arranged in parallel on a common driving shaft. Each endlesschain belt also extends around three idler sprockets, and thesesprockets are arranged in parallel on three idler shafts.

A number of guide members are associated with the guide means and arecoupled to each other, while being supported on the frame of theapparatus, in such a manner that the guide members may be slidsubstantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement of thebottles. By thus sliding or oscillating the guide members, by means of alever which may be rocked by a cam provided on the driving shaft, therows of bottles are loaded alternately into the bottle receiverapertures which are provided in a staggered array on the carrier.

By virtue of the provision just mentioned, the bottles, conveyedsuccessively from the bottle conveyor, may be loaded at high speed intothe carrier of a bottle-processing apparatus.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, a bridge member isprovided at the end of the guide means opposite the carrier, to bridgethe gap between the guide means Preferably, the bridge member is rigidlysecured to an idler shaft which is located in the vicinity of thedischarge end of the guide means and rotatably supports the idlersprockets. This shaft is adapted to be rocked by a cam on the drivingshaft, through the medium of a suitable cam follower and associatedlinkage. The bridge member is preferably constructed in such a mannerthat, when the greater portion of a bottle has been inserted into areceiving aperture of the carrier by means of a push rod, the bridgemember is retracted from the extension of the guide means to permitpassage of the push rod between the guide means and the carrier.

By virtue of the provision of the bridge member, damage to the bottles,and particularly at their neck portions, which often has occurred in thepast due to the fact that the pushing operation was interrupted at astate where the bottles had not been loaded sufficiently into thereceiving aperture of the carriers, can be prevented very effectively.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, after thepush rods on the continuously driven transfer means have engaged theforemost row of bottles on the bottle conveyor, movement of the bottleconveyor is interrupted for a predetermined period of time. Thispreferably is effected by a timing cam on the driving shaft of thetransfer means, and which is operable to close or open a limit switchcontrolling the driving member of the bottle conveyor. By virtue of thisprovision, there can be very effectively prevented damage to the bottlessuch as has often occurred in the past due to the fact that, while theforemost row of bottles is engaged with the push rods of the transfermeans, and is being pushed along the guide means, the succeeding row ofbottles, supplied by the conveyor, collides with the first row ofbottles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bottleloadingapparatus which can supply bottles to a bottle washer or otherbottle-processing apparatus smoothly and efficiently without damagingthe bottles and irrespective of the kinds of bottles.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bottleloadingapparatus which, during loading of bottles into the carrier of a bottlewasher or other bottle-processing apparatus, can effectively preventdamage to the bottles, especially at the bottlenecks.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a bottle- Ioadingapparatus which can prevent damage to the bottles, particularly at thenecks, just after the bottles, continuously conveyed by a bottleconveyor, have been received by guide means and engaged with transfermeans.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bottleloadingapparatus in which succeeding bottles, supplied by the same conveyor,are prevented from colliding with preceding bottles.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a bottle-loadingapparatus which is efficient and fast in its operation, and capable ofoperation without damaging the bottles.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference ismade to the following description of typical embodiments thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a first form of bottle loadingapparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view along the line lI-II of FIG. 1looking in the direction of the arrow;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan and sectional view on the line III-III of FIG.I, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGS. 4A through 4D are somewhat schematic partial side elevation viewsillustrating the manner of loading bottles into a carrier in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of a second form of bottle-loadingapparatus embodying the invention and constituting an improvement overthe apparatus shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A and 7B are partial side elevation views illustrating theoperation of bridge members illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a somewhat schematic side elevation view of a third form ofbottle-loading apparatus embodying the invention, and constituting afurther improvement of the invention, with only essential portions beingillustrated; and

FIG. 9 is transverse-sectional view taken on the line Ix-Ix of FIG. 8looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1,2and 3, bottles B supplied by a bottle conveyor 10 are guided by abottle-loading apparatus, generally indicated at 12, to a somewhatschematically illustrated carrier 14 of a bottle-processing apparatus,such as a bottle washer or the like, and which has not been shown.

Bottles B, loaded randomly onto bottle conveyor 10 at its feeding end,which feeding end has not been shown in the drawings, are aligned into apredetermined array by means of several stirring rods 16 suspended aboveconveyor 10 by any suitable means, and by means of partition plates 18provided adjacent the stirring rods. Thereafter, the bottles are loadedinto bottle receiving apertures 20 of carrier 14, by means of theloading apparatus 12, the details of which will be describedhereinafter.

Loading apparatus 12 comprises guide means including a plurality ofguide members 24, each having a sloping portion and a substantiallyhorizontal portion. These guide members 24 receive, successively, theforemost aligned row of bottles on bottle conveyor 10. The bottles aretilted forwardly by tilting plates 22, each associated with therespective column of bottles at the discharge end of bottle conveyor 10.Guide members 24 guide the received bottles, while the latter maintaintheir forwardly tilted attitude, upwardly and then gradually tilt thebottles to a substantially horizontal attitude for loading the bottlesfrom the discharge ends of the guide members into carrier 14. Theloading apparatus further includes transfer means for pushing the row ofbottles along the guide members 24 toward carrier 14.

The transfer means includes three endless chain belts 26, one arrangedon each of the opposite outer sides and the other at the center of agroup of guide members 24. Each endless chain belt 26 is arranged withina plane which is parallel with the vertical planes containing therespective guide members, and each endless chain belt 26 has, inelevation, substantially the form of a parallelogram. Push rods 28a,28b, and 30a, 30b have their opposite ends and center portions fixedlysecured to endless chain belts 26. Each belt 26 is trained around arelatively large diameter sprocket 34 rigidly secured on a commondriving shaft, the three sprockets being in parallel with each other.Each chain 26 is further trained around three idler sprockets 40, 42 and44 rotatably supported on respective idler shafts 35, 36 and 38 whichare parallel with driving shaft 32. Each idler shaft rotatably supportsthree idler sprockets in parallel with each other.

Guide members 24 are coupled with each other by means of commonconnecting rods 46 and 48, and these connecting rods are, in turn,supported on a pair of tracks 52 and 54 forming a part of a frame 50 ofthe loading apparatus. The connecting rods are supported on the tracksin such a manner that they may slide freely in a direction substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of movement of conveyor 10.

The grooved earns 56 and 56 are secured to driving shaft 32, and camfollowers 60 and 60' extend into the grooves of the respective earns 56and 56'. These cam followers are mounted on respective levers 58 and 58'which are pivotally supported, at one end, on frame 50. The free ends oflevers 58 and 58' are formed with elongated apertures into which extendpins 62 and 62, respectively, extending from connecting rods 46 adjacentthe respective opposite ends of the latter.

A sprocket wheel 64 is fixedly secured to an end of driving shaft 32,and may be coupled, by a suitable chain drive, to the driving mechanismof the bottle-processing apparatus. By driving sprocket 64 and similarlydriving bottle conveyor 10, the foremost row of bottles on conveyor tilton to guide members 24 therebetween as they are tilted forwardly bytilting plates 22. The bottles are engaged by push rods 28a, owing tomovement of endless chain belts 26, to be pushed upwardly, as shown inFIG. 2, so that the bottles B are pushed and transferred onto thehorizontal portions of guide members 24. Meanwhile, the next succeedingrow of bottles conveyed to tilting plates 22 to lean on guide members 24are shortly thereafter engaged with the next succeeding push rods 30a,so that they are similarly pushed and transferred along guide members24.

As best seen in FIG. 3, carrier 14 is formed with a plurality ofbottle-receiving apertures arranged in two rows, one upper row and onelower row, and the two rows are staggered relative to each other. Sincethe distance between the upper and lower rows of a single carrier 14 isx, while the distance between adjacent rows of apertures in successivecarriers 14 is y, it is necessary to set the ratio of the distancebetween push rods 28a and a, or between the push rods 28b and 30b, withrelation to the distance between push rods 30a and 28b, or between pushrods 28a and 30b, equal to the ratio xzy.

While the push rods are pushing the respective rows of bottles incontact therewith, as described above, cams 56 and 56' aresimultaneously turned by rotation of driving shaft 32, so that levers 58and 58 are reciprocated through the medium of cam followers 60 and 60,respectively. Thus, the group of guide members 24 is caused to slide, asa unit, perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the bottles,through the medium of the pins 62 and 62'.

During this period of time, a row of bottles pushed by push rods suchas, for example, push rods 30a, have just reached the discharge ends ofguide members 24 and are loaded into the lower row of receivingapertures 20 in a carrier 14. After loading of this row of bottles intothe carrier has been completed, the group of guide members 24 is movedtransversely, in a manner similar to that described, and when the nextrow of bottles, pushed by the next succeeding push rods 28b, have justreached the discharge end of guide members 24, the upper row ofreceiving apertures 20, in the next succeeding carrier 14 are locatedopposite to this row of bottles and the bottles are loaded into theapertures 20.

In this manner, the bottles successively supplied from conveyor 10 canbe loaded row by row into carriers 14 of a bottleprocessing apparatus,very smoothly and rapidly. As will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art, in the loading apparatus of the present invention,since the transfer operation is effected by means of push rods driven byat least one pair of endless belts extending along the guide means, anincrease in speed of bottle transfer, and thus enhancement of processingcapability, can be attained. Furthermore, since the guide means isadapted to be reciprocated in synchronism with the transfer means so asto make a particular row of bottles with a particular row ofbottle-receiving apertures in a carrier 14, there is obtained theadvantage that less power is required in comparison with knownapparatus, for instance of the type shown in Meyer et al., US. Pat. No.3,081,859 and in which a plurality of bottles on a bottle conveyor aremoved transversely by rocking gate plates on the bottle conveyor andwhich are equivalent to the partition plates 18 mentioned above.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A through 7, in these figures componentssubstantially identical with those shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 aredesignated by the same reference numerals with the addition of to eachnumeral. Considering first the operation of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3, when the bottles are pushed along the guide means bythe transfer means to be loaded into the carriers, a gap D is necessarybetween the discharge ends of the guide means and the carrier. This gapis necessitated for permitting push rods 28a, 28b, 30a and 30b of thetransfer means to pass therethrough.

Accordingly, when a bottle B is being transferred from the guide meansto the carrier, and more particularly at the moment when the center ofgravity G of the bottle B has passed beyond the discharge end of guidemeans 24, bottle B is apt to tilt downwardly, as shown by the dottedoutline in FIG. 48, until it has been loaded into the carrier. Thus theneck portion of the bottle possibly may collide against the lowersurface of the aperture in the carrier, resulting in damage to thebottleneck if the timing relation between the push rods and carrier 114is not properly maintained. On the other hand, if the timing relationbetween the push rods and the carrier 114 is changed, as shown in FIG.4C, that is, if the phase of carrier 114 is somewhat advanced, so that,when the center of gravity G of the bottle B has just passed thedischarge end of guide means 124 and bottle B begins to tilt, theaperture 120 of carrier 114 may contact the body of bottle B, thecontact between the bottleneck and the lower side surface or edge ofaperture 120 can be prevented. However, in this case, the supply ofbottle B is relatively delayed, and the carrier is raised considerablybefore bottle B has been inserted sufiiciently into receiving aperture120 of carrier 114. Thus, bottle B is pushed obliquely upwardly, andthus the bottleneck engages the upper edge of the receiving aperture 120of the carrier, resulting in damage to the bottleneck.

In order to obviate this disadvantage, in accordance with the secondembodiment of the invention, a bridge member 170 is fixedly secured toan idler shaft so as to support the lower side surface of a bottle Bwhen this bottle is transferred from the discharge ends of guide members124 to carrier 114, and thus effects smooth loading of the bottle intothe receiving aperture 120 of the carrier. More particularly, at an endof idler shaft 135 there is fixedly secured a lever 172, and a roller174 mounted at a free end of this lever projects into an elongatedaperture 178 provided on the free end of another lever 176 pivotallymounted on a frame 150. A cam 180 is fixedly secured on driving shaft132 for endless belt 126, and a roller 186, mounted on a lever 184 whichis pivotally supported in frame 150 to a pin or pivot 182, is forcedinto pressure contact with cam 180 by the bias of a tension spring 188connected to the free end of lever 184. Lever 184 and lever 176 areconnected with each other by a connecting rod 190.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, byappropriately selecting the positions of the push rods 128a, 128b, 130aand 130b, for pushing bottles B, as well as by appropriately selectingthe contour of cam 180, lever 176 can be swung through cam 180, roller186, lever 184 and connecting rod 190, when a bottle 13, pushed by anyselected push rod, is about to enter the receiving aperture 120 ofcarrier 1 14. Lever 176 thus can turn idler shaft 135, through theelongated hole 178, roller 174 and lever 172, to cause bridge plate 170,fixedly secured on shaft 135, to project into the space between carrier114 and guide means 124, as shown in FIG. 7A. Thus, the bottle B may beloaded by the push rod into the aperture 120 of the carrier while it issupported on bridge plate 170. When bottle B has thus been transferredinto the carrier, idler shaft 135 is quickly turned, through lever 18 4,rod 190 and lever 176, in accordance with the contour of cam 180, in thereverse direction and thus bridge plate 170 is retracted from the locusof movement of the push rods, as shown in FIG. 7B. Thus a bottle B canbe loaded into the aperture 120 of carrier 114 while maintaining itsproper attitude, and thus damage to the bottleneck can be positivelyprevented.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in the third embodiment of the presentinvention, components substantially identical to those of the firstembodiment are designated by the same reference numerals with 200 added,and a detailed description of these parts will be omitted. Referringonce again to the first embodiment of the invention, and particularlyFIG. 2, at the beginning of that period of time when the foremost row ofbottles on bottle conveyor 10 are pushed and raised by the push rods ofthe transfer means, the next succeeding row of bottles will COLLlDEagainst the rising row of bottles, when the succeeding row of bottlesare moved forwardly by the conveyor and caused to tilt forwardly bytilting plates 22. In case the neck portion of the bottles to beprocessed is small and/or in case the bottles have screw threads aroundtheir neck portions, the neck portions are apt to be damaged. Thistendency to damage will increase if it is attempted to increase thebottle processing capacity by increasing the speed of conveyor 10.

Now referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a driving motor 292 for a bottleconveyor 210 is coupled to a driving sprocket assembly 296 through anendless chain 294. As shown in FIG. 9, sprocket assembly 296 comprisessprocket 302, rotatably supported on a driving shaft 298 through asleeve 300, a clutch disk 304 fixedly secured to the hub portion ofsprocket 302, a flexible clutch ring 306 extending around the outerperiphery of clutch disk 304, with an appropriate radical spacingtherebetween, and a fixed disk 308 for nonrotatably connecting clutchring 306 to drive shaft 298.

By supplying pressurized air or other pressurized fluid to flexibleclutch ring 306 through a pipeline 310, swivel joint 312, a passage 314in fixed clutch disk 308 and a pipe line 316, to expand clutch ring 306,clutch ring 306 and clutch disk 304 are engaged with each other toconnect sprocket 302 to the driving shaft 298. The driving connectioncan be released by deflating clutch ring 306.

A driving shaft 232 for endless belts 226 has fixedly secured thereto acam 318 which is effective to operate a limit switch 320 mounted at asuitable position on frame 250. Limit switch 320 is connected to anelectromagnetic valve 322 interposed in pipeline 310. Thus, when thepush rods of the transfer means have been engaged with the foremost rowof bottles on bottle conveyor 10, as described in detail with respect tothe first embodiment of the invention, a projection of cam 318 is justengaged with limit switch 320 to operate the same to closeelectromagnetic valve 322. By exhausting the pressurized fluid fromflexible clutch ring 306 to atmosphere, the power transmission todriving sprocket 302 of conveyor 210 is interrupted and thus theconveyor is stopped. By properly selecting the contour of cam 318, theduration of the time during which conveyor 210 is stopped may be set ata desired value. Thus, there can be completely eliminated thedisadvantage that, while a row of bottles is rising along the guidemeans, the next succeeding row of bottles, supplied from conveyor 10,will collide against the first row of bottles and cause damage to thebottles.

As described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is possible smoothly and quickly to load bottles,supplied successively from a bottle conveyor, into the carrier of abottle-processing apparatus such as a bottle washer or the like, whileeffectively preventing damage to the bottles. The present invention thusconstitutes a very useful contribution to the art of bottle handling.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle-loading apparatus, for loading bottles, supplied from abottle conveyor, into an apertured carrier of a bottleprocessingapparatus, said bottle-loading apparatus comprising, in combination,guide means receiving and guiding a row of bottles, supplied from saidbottle conveyor, into said carrier; and transfer means cooperable withbottles guided by said guide means, said transfer means including atleast a pair of endless belts extending along said guide means, and pushrods extending transversely of said guide means and coupled to saidbelts for driving of said push rods along said guide means to pushbottles, supported on said guide means, towards said carrier; said guidemeans comprising a plurality of guide members constructed and arrangedfor oscillation transversely of the direction of movement of said bottleconveyor in coordination with the movement of said endless belts.

2. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, including bridgemeans positioned between said carrier at the discharge end of said guidemeans and constructed and arranged to support the lower side surfaces ofthe bottles as the bottles are transferred from said guide means to saidcarrier.

3. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, in which saidtransfer means includes at least a pair of endless belts extending alongsaid guide means, and push rods extending transversely of said guidemeans and coupled to said belts for driving of said push rods along saidguide means to push bottles, supported on said guide means, toward saidcarrier.

4. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 3, in which each ofsaid endless belts includes a plurality of supporting shafts; saidbridging means being carried by one of said shafts for projection andretraction relative to the gap between the discharge end of said guidemeans and the carrier and in synchronism with a driving shaft for saidendless belts.

5. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, in which saidtransfer means includes three endless belts, one provided on eachopposite side and one provided at the center of said guide means; saidpush rods comprising a selected number of push rods fixedly secured tothe respective endless belts in transverse alignment with each other andat preselected intervals along the periphery of said endless belts.

6. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, including controlmeans for said bottle conveyor effective to interrupt drive of saidbottle conveyor for a preselected period of time after said transfermeans has engaged a row of bottles on said guide means.

7. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 6, in which saidcontrol means includes a cam rotatable in synchronism with said transfermeans; a limit switch actuated by said cam; and a conveyor-driving meanshaving clutch means controlled by said limit switch.

1. A bottle-loading apparatus, for loading bottles, supplied from abottle conveyor, into an apertured carrier of a bottleprocessingapparatus, said bottle-loading apparatus comprising, in combination,guide means receiving and guiding a row of bottles, supplied from saidbottle conveyor, into said carrier; and transfer means cooperable withbottles guided by said guide means, said transfer means including atleast a pair of endless belts extending along said guide means, and pushrods extending transversely of said guide means and coupled to saidbelts for driving of said push rods along said guide means to pushbottles, supported on said guide means, towards said carrier; said guidemeans comprising a plurality of guide members constructed and arrangedfor oscillation transversely of the direction of movement of said bottleconveyor in coordination with the movement of said endless belts.
 2. Abottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, including bridge meanspositioned between said carrier at the discharge end of said guide meansand constructed and arranged to support the lower side surfaces of thebottles as the bottles are transferred from said guide means to saidcarrier.
 3. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, in whichsaid transfer means includes at least a pair of endless belts extendingalong said guide means, and push rods extending transversely of saidguide means and coupled to said belts for driving of said push rodsalong said guide means to push bottles, supported on said guide means,toward said carrier.
 4. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim3, in which each of said endless belts includes a plurality ofsupporting shafts; said bridging means being carried by one of saidshafts for projection and retraction relative to the gap between thedischarge end of said guide means and the carrier and in synchronismwith a driving shaft for said endless belts.
 5. A bottle-loadingapparatus, as claimed in claim 1, in which said transfer means includesthree endless belts, one provided on each opposite side and one providedat the center of said guide means; said push rods comprising a selectednumber of push rods fixedly secured to the respective endless belts intransverse alignment with each other and at preselected intervals alongthe periphery of said endless belts.
 6. A bottle-loading apparatus, asclaimed in claim 1, including control means for said bottle conveyoreffective to interrupt drive of said bottle conveyor for a preselectedperiod of time after said transfer means has engaged a row of bottles onsaid guide means.
 7. A bottle-loading apparatus, as claimed in claim 6,in which said control means includes a cam rotatable in synchronism withsaid transfer means; a limit switch actuated by said cam; and aconveyor-driving means having clutch means controlled by said limitswitch.